Cost of Living Comparison Between Malindi and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Malindi and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $363 per month in Malindi vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $592 per month in Malindi vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $821 per month in Malindi vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Malindi is about 58% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Malindi and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Malindi 73% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.19 KES 283

$1.96 ฿65.7

11.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.56 KES 4,077

$18.35 ฿616

71.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿251

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.7

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 KES 196

$0.85 ฿28.45

78.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 KES 122

$0.36 ฿11.94

161.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 KES 448

$2.14 ฿71.7

62.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 KES 462

$3.59 ฿121

-0.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 KES 118

$1.65 ฿55.4

-44.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.6

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 KES 158

$1.19 ฿39.95

3.36%

Eggs

$2.96 KES 382

$1.94 ฿65.0

52.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.60 KES 1,498

$16.19 ฿544

-28.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.27 KES 810

$2.99 ฿100

109.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.06 KES 654

$10.94 ฿367

-53.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.07 KES 397

$2.71 ฿91.0

13.28%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 KES 96.6

$1.17 ฿39.18

-35.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 KES 340

$1.69 ฿56.6

55.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 KES 91.1

$1.60 ฿53.9

-56.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 KES 102

$1.38 ฿46.45

-42.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 KES 85.3

$1.20 ฿40.38

-45.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.46

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 KES 66.6

$0.56 ฿18.70

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

Wine (Bottle)

$7.66 KES 989

$17.62 ฿591

-56.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.63

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿649

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.82

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.90

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 KES 186

$1.22 ฿41.11

18.03%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.4K ฿716.8K

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$22.5K ฿756.3K

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$77.5 KES 10.0K

$70.7 ฿2,372

9.71%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$14.04 ฿471

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.55 KES 4,077

$17.49 ฿587

80.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.14 KES 4,927

$42.15 ฿1,415

-9.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿499.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,872

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿877

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,787

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,365

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,020

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 KES 49.9K

$822 ฿27.6K

-53.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Malindi: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Malindi versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $166 in Malindi vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Malindi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Malindi vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 137% more than Malindi, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $544 per month in Malindi and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $363 in Malindi and $861 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 46% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $363 in Malindi and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Malindi costs $363 versus $861 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Malindi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.